Author: Andres-Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

ARMENIAN SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS ASSESS THE OUTCOME OF “THE 20 APRIL 2009,
YEAR OF COMMEMORATION OF 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MASSACRES COMMITTED BY THE
OTTOMAN AUTHORITIES IN THE TOWN OF ADANA”

More than 60 Armenian scholars and researchers met in Antelias on 8 December
2010. They were invited by His Holiness Aram I to the launch of the
publications decided during the Conference on 20 April 2009. The papers
presented during the conference were published as part of the Armeneology
Yearbook series, sponsored by the Khatchik Babikian Foundation.

His Holiness welcomed the guests and thanked all those who had contributed
to the publication and supported it. He then extended a special word of
thanks to Mr. Zaven Yegavian, Director of the Armenian Section of Kalouste
Gulbenkian Foundation, for contributing to the 100th Anniversary Special
Publications. Catholicos Aram also thanked the three editors of the
Yearbook, Messrs. Viken Avakian, Yervant Pamboukian and Sarkis Guiragossian,
as well as the contributors to the conference, authors of reprint books and
said: “Through scientific research, reprints and by recording oral history,
we are not only keeping alive our history and memory, but also rebuilding
our archives and enriching our documentation centres. Oral history is an
academic discipline to accompany the writings of historians, we are
therefore thankful for those efforts”.

At the end of his introduction, His Holiness Aram I invited the guest of the
day, Prof. Dr. Ashod Melkonian, Head of the History Department of the
Armenian Academy of Sciences in Yerevan to speak. Dr. Melkonian thanked
Catholicos Aram I for this valuable work, and his untiring effort to create
to bring together scholars from Armenia and the Diaspora to dialogue and
work together.

##
View the photos here:

*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

NEAR EAST SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY STUDENTS OF ECUMENISM VISIT THE CATHOLICOSATE
OF CILICIA

For the 9th consecutive year Dr. George Sabra, Dean of the Near East School
of Theology (NEST) in Lebanon brought his students to learn about the
Armenian Orthodox Church. After visiting the Cathedral, the Martyrs’
Monument and the Cilicia Museum, H.E. Archbishop Nareg Alemezian met with
them and presented the Armenian Orthodox Church, its history and Traditions;
and the witness of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in the Middle East. At the
end of the lecture there was lively question and answer period when students
coming from all over the world wanted to know about the church’s advocacy on
the issue of genocide as a just cause.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

From: A. Papazian

ONE SUICIDE A DAY IN ARMENIA

news.am
Dec 13 2010
Armenia

Psychologists say that 50% of suicides are commited by unemployed,
because of their socio-economic situation. Pensioners constitute 19.9%
of suicides for the same reasons.

One suicide is committed in Armenia daily, the annual average number
of suicides being 300.

Statistical data say that women commit suicide four times less then
men, but they think of it more often. People 35 to 60 age, most often
commit suicide. If saved, three out of four potential suicides attempts
do not repeat.

From: A. Papazian

ANC TO HOLD RALLIES IN 4 ARMENIAN CITIES ON DECEMBER 17

news.am
Dec 13 2010
Armenia

On December 17, the Armenian National Congress (ANC) will
simultaneously hold rallies in 4 cities of Armenia – Aparan, Masis,
Martuni and Yerevan.

The ANC member parties and representatives of the central office will
hold protest actions demanding release of political prisoners, the ANC
press service informed NEWS.am. The protestors will also voice issues
related to socio-economic situation in the country and judicial system.

From: A. Papazian

CHRISTIAN MAN IN TURKEY KILLS SISTER FOR MARRYING MUSLIM

WorldBulletin.net

Dec 13 2010
Turkey

The young couple was found dead in their automobile on Sunday, each
with a bullet to the forehead.

A young couple that was found dead in their car in Ä°stanbul’s Fatih
district 10 days after they got married were murdered because of
religious differences, according to the prime suspect in the case.

Sonay Ogmen (age 26), the daughter of a Syriac family, married Zekeriya
Vural (age 29) 10 days ago, against her family’s wishes.

The young couple was found dead in their automobile on Sunday, each
with a bullet to the forehead.

The police established that the couple was killed by someone sitting
in the back seat, concluding that the murderer had to be someone they
knew. The alleged killer, Sonay’s brother Gunay Ogmen, was taken
into police custody as part of the investigation. He purportedly
confessed in his police testimony to shooting the couple, saying,
“We did not want that groom.”

Investigators said Ogmen, who owns more than 120 pigeons, was captured
due to his love for these birds. The suspect was detained at the
Pigeon Lovers Association in Ä°stanbul, with the gun believed to
have been used in the murder on his person. In his initial testimony,
Ogmen said: “Our family didn’t want them to get married. We met in a
café to talk. Zekeriya told me: ‘This is over. We got married. Don’t
stand in the way.’ Then we got in the car. I shot both of them.”

Vural’s uncle Cemal Vural spoke to the press, saying: “Sonay’s
brother had invited them to dinner. It was a trap, apparently. She was
Christian. Her family was against the marriage because he is Muslim.

Actually, Sonay warned her family a week ago that she’d take her
own life.”

Investigators say Zekeriya Vural ran a jewelry store in the Kapalı
CarÅ~_ı, like the family of Ogmen. The two stores are Kapalı
CarÅ~_ı neighbors.

Her family will still be holding a funeral for Sonay Ogmen. They
claimed her body morning from the Council of Forensic Medicine (ATK)
in Yeni Bosna, where doctors performed an autopsy. She was taken to
the Surp Kevork Armenian Church for a funeral.

Vural’s family also retrieved the young man’s body from the ATK. A
funeral service was held for him at the KocamustafapaÅ~_a Sumbul
Efendi Mosque.

Turkey has approximately 30,000 Syriac Christians. About half this
number are Syriac Orthodox, and the other half are Syriac Catholics.

From: A. Papazian

OVER 30 ARMENIAN DIPLOMATS, INCLUDING 4 AMBASSADORS SERVE AT BRAZIL’S FOREIGN MINISTRY

news.am
Dec 13 2010
Armenia

Armenian Ambassador to Brazil Ashot Yeghiazaryan presented his
credentials to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Following the ceremony, RA Ambassador held a conversation with
Brazilian External Relations Minister Celso Amorim and Marco Garcia,
Foreign Policy Adviser to Brazil’s President, RA Foreign Office press
service informed NEWS.am.

Mr. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva thanked Armenia for establishing a
diplomatic representation in the country and congratulated Yeghiazaryan
on the appointment to the new post. The President recalled that
Yeghiazaryan had served Armenian Consul General in Brazil for many
years and was well-aware of Brazil’s foreign and domestic affairs. He
expressed hope the Ambassador will significantly contribute to the
development of Armenia-Brazil relations.

In his turn, Mr. Yeghiazaryan mentioned he will increase efforts to
expand the cooperation and friendly ties between the two states.

The officials also discussed bilateral trade and economic ties and
stressed the importance of their enhancement. They put high value on
the countries’ collaboration in scientific, cultural and humanitarian
spheres.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva highly appreciated Brazilian Armenians’
contribution to the development of the country and inquired about
the problems of the Armenian community, operation of Department
on Armenian studies at San Paolo University and recalled prominent
Armenian public figures.

Minister Celso Amorim stressed the effective activities of 30 Armenian
diplomats, including 4 Ambassadors at Brazilian Foreign Ministry.

From: A. Papazian

BROOKLYN’S SOLITARY OUTPOST OF ARMENIAN FOOD
by Yigal Schleifer

EurasiaNet

Dec 13 2010
NY

Brooklyn has plenty of Russian, Central Asian and Turkish restaurants.

But what about when you’re hungering for a bowl of Armenian khash
(boiled cow’s feet)? According to the Armenian Mirror-Spectator, an
Armenian-American newspaper, the only place to get it in Brooklyn
would be the Garden Bay Cafe in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn’s sole
Armenian restaurant. More details here.

From: A. Papazian

GEORGIA STILL THINKS ABOUT SELLING GAS PIPELINE TO AZERBAIJAN

news.am
Dec 13 2010
Armenia

Georgian government has not defined its position on selling of North
South gas pipeline to Azerbaijani SOCAR, Georgian Deputy Foreign
Minister Nino Kalandadze told the journalists today.

“SOCAR is carrying out big and successful projects. Decision on
the pipeline may be made, meeting the interests of both states,”
Kalandadze said, Trend reported.

The official statement on intention to purchase Georgian section of
the pipeline was made by SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev.

According to him, the gas pipeline can be used to accelerate
implementation of Interconnector Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania (AGRI)
projects providing for supplies of Azerbaijani liquefied natural gas
via Georgia’s territory and the Black Sea to Romania.

As NEWS.am reported, gas main passing through Georgia and connecting
Russia with Armenia was excluded from the privatization list.

From: A. Papazian

GEORGIA REFUSES FROM BORDER DELIMITATION WITH AZERBAIJAN ON RELIGIOUS ISSUES

Azerbaijan Business Center

Dec 13 2010

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The question of delimitation of the
Azerbaijani-Georgian border ran into religious matters.

Deputy foreign minister Nino Kalandadze of Georgia has stated that
today in Tbilisi that matter with the David Gareji monastery complex
does not enable to finish the delimitation of the Georgian-Azerbaijani
border.

“The issue of concession of the David Gareji monastery to Azerbaijan
will never be put on agenda,~T Kalandadze stated.

At the same time Georgia just demands to transfer this territory to
it without any kind of compensation.

~SWe haven~Rt reached agreement in connection with the delimitation,
but the issue of assignment of the monastery complex will never be
discussed,~T she said.

The historical monument of VI-VIII centuries, the David Gareji
monastery is located in the territory of Azerbaijan. The Georgian side
considers this monument its own historical and religious monument,
and Azerbaijan claims that it is a monument of Albanian culture
(Caucasian Albania) and belongs to the people of Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that on currently-occupied territory of Fizuli
region there is another Albanian monastery, where on tradition Mesrop
Mashtots invented the Armenian alphabet, which became the basis for
the Georgian alphabet.

From: A. Papazian

Russia to start building Turkey’s first nuclear power plant in 2013 –
ambassador

ANKARA, December 12 (RIA Novosti)

Russia will start building Turkey’s first nuclear power plant
estimated at $20 billion in 2013, Russian ambassador to Ankara
Vladimir Ivanovsky said on Sunday.

“The launch of the plant’s first power unit is planned for 2018 while
the other three will be launched with an interval of one year. The
fourth power unit will be put into operation in 2021 and the plant’s
reactors are designed to operate for 60 years. The project for the
construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant under the Russian
design is a strategic area of Russian-Turkish cooperation,” the
diplomat said.

Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement on the
construction and operation of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant
during a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Ankara on May
12, 2010.

The project stipulates the construction of four power units with a
capacity of 1.2 GW each under the Russian design, using VVER
pressurized water reactors. The nuclear power plant will be built by
Russia’s Atomstroyexport civilian nuclear power corporation near the
Mediterranean port of Mersin in the Akkuyu area.

The project stipulates the establishment of a nuclear engineering
company to put the nuclear power plant into operation. The company
will be wholly owned by Russia at the initial stage.

From: A. Papazian